In 1962, the twentieth World
Science Fiction Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, a very different
creation than the seventieth Worldcon held in Chicago in 2012. With only 730
members in attendance at the Pick-Congress Hotel, a single track of
programming was all that was needed, for the entire membership could fit
into a single hall. In the year
following the convention, Chicon III Chairman Earl Kemp and George Price
published The Proceedings: Chicon III,
a complete transcript of the event, an experiment which was only otherwise
attempted one other time, following the 1963 convention in Washington D.C.
In honor of the convention’s fiftieth anniversary, and coinciding with the
seventh Worldcon to be held in Chicago, the Merry Blacksmith Press has
reproduced the original Proceedings along with some supplementary materials.
The
proceedings begin with descriptions of some of the events and exhibits set
up for the convention, including registration and the problems they had, the
art show, and the dealers room, each noting the hours and who was in charge
of each area. Once the program officially got underway at 11:30 on Friday, a
transcript is provided identifying the speakers, whether Convention
Secretary Rosemary Hickey or authors, like Algis Budrys. Perhaps the most
interesting thing about reading through the transcripts is how little things
have changed. Many of the topics
and discussions in the book could easily occur at a modern science fiction
convention, not just sharing topics, such as “SF: Is It Really
Literature?” but even down to the actual points being made.
Similarly, many of the topics show the interests of the committee
programming the convention, such as the panel on “Is There Too Much Sex in
Science Fiction,” a focus reinforced by the ads and discussion of
magazines including Rogue and Playboy.
In
addition to a reprint of the original work, the new edition includes an
introduction by Mike Resnick, who was Guest of Honor at Chicon 7, and an
afterword by Kemp. Reproductions
of the pages of the souvenir book from 1962 also are included, giving a feel
for how different science fiction fandom was, not just in the size of the
program, but also in the identity of the advertisers, with numerous fannish
groups and individuals taking out ads.
The
Proceedings: Chicon III
offers an excellent opportunity to experience a science fiction convention
from half a century ago. A
comparison of the Worldcon from 1962 to even the smallest of today’s
science fiction conventions is instructional and demonstrates not just how
large the community has grown over the years, but also how much more
expansive the community’s interests are.
With the plethora of programming at a modern Worldcon, a project like
The Proceedings: Chicon III is no
longer feasible (the last Worldcon to attempt to chronicle its programming
was Chicon 2000, which recorded nearly 125 hours of programming, which was
only about 10% of the total and no transcripts were made) and science
fiction fans and historians should be grateful not only that Earl Kemp and
George Price edited their book in 1963, but also that Merry Widow has seen
fit to reprint the volume in recognition of its fiftieth anniversary.
